Wednesday, February 15, 2017

DETECTIVE COMICS #948 - Batwoman Begins Pt. 1

DETECTIVE COMICS #948 - Batwoman Begins Pt. 1

Published January 11, 2017 by DC Comics. Written by James
Tynion IV and Marguerite Bennett with art by Ben Oliver.

Who is Kate Kane? Why is she following in her cousin’s
footsteps as a vigilante protecting Gotham? Starting off is a flashback
sequence to sometime a couple of years ago her and her father, Colonel Kane,
were training with a new gadget. Her version of the grapple gun used by Batman.

While testing this new toy she and her father are also
shadowing the cowled sleuth through Gotham. However, he eventually catches her
following and is able to evade. Later Kate and her dad recount the events and her
frustration with Batman’s ability to escape her watchful eye.

Fastward to the present and Kate is now visiting her father
in the prison cell at the Belfry. But duty calls and she leaves her father to
begin a new case.

At the Argus excavation site where the remains of the beast
they battled in the Night of the Monster Men they are attacked by a strange
humanoid creature. The monster’s attack is stopped by Dr. Victoria October the
lead scientist studying these strange phenomenon at what she terms, “Monster
Town”. Apparently what is to blame for the strange mutation of the creature is
Dr. Strange’s Monster Venom. This is some new form of bioweaponry highly sought
after on the blackmarket. During a break-in at the Argus evacuation site someone
stole a large amount of the Venom and that someone was with the Colony.

At the Belfry the Colonel is being paid a visit by the Argus
thief from the Colony. And is there to extract the Colonel. However, the
Colonel isn’t too keen on leaving his cell. But Batman and Batwoman arrive to
ensure the Colonel stays put.

In this story arc DC is starting to give a little more depth
to Kate Kane and her Batwoman persona. This story arc also takes the Monster
Venom angle in a new direction with the Colony after this weapon. One question
arises from this issue is why is Colonel Kane reluctant to rejoin the Colony?